Beverage containers of numerous sizes and shapes have been known for many years for drinks such as pop, beer, juice and water. Perhaps the most common beverage container currently used by manufacturers is the 12 ounce cylindrical beverage can having a pop top opening.
In drinking from the conventional beverage container, one problem is that the can or bottle, generally containing a chilled liquid, has a tendency to acquire condensation on the cylindrical side wall of the container which may make the container slippery and difficult to handle.
Another problem with the conventional beverage container is the grasping of the container by children or adults with small hands can be difficult. Also, people with physical impairment of the hands, such as arthritis, often times have difficulty gripping a smooth cylindrical bottle or can.
Further, in drinking from the conventional 12 ounce cylindrical beverage can having a pop top opening, a problem is that the can must be rotated so that the opening is approximately aligned with the drinker's thumb, so that the opening can be easily positioned over the drinker's mouth for consumption of the beverage directly from the can, or aligned with a glass or cup such that the beverage can be poured into the glass or cup. Due to the cylindrical shape and uniform cross section of the can, such alignment of the opening with the drinker's mouth, or the cup or glass, cannot be accomplished by touch alone. That is, the user cannot merely grasp the cylindrical side of the can and have the opening aligned in the desired position. Rather, the user must visually perceive the opening and align it accordingly.
Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved beverage container.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a beverage container capable of forming at least one indented or deformed side portion for easy grasping and for aligning the opening of a can in a desired orientation.
Still a further objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved beverage container which can be dispensed from the conventional coin-operated beverage machine.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a beverage container having at least one finger receiving portion, thereby increasing the user's ability to grasp the container.
These and other objectives will be apparent from the following description of the invention.